Article of manufacture, system and method for removably securing attachable, decorative or nondecorative accessories to wearig apparel and to non-apparel items

ABSTRACT

A novelty garment comprising a plurality of articles and a plurality of interchangeable removably attachable stuffed plush toy accessories. The articles comprise an article attachment means. The accessories are three-dimensional in design and comprise a rear surface having an attachment means that is complementary to the attachment means of the wearing apparel item. The article of manufacture may further comprise an alternative wearing apparel item, a non-apparel item and any number of alternative accessories, the accessories being decorative or functional.

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/484,467 filed May 10, 2011 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/551,115 filed Oct. 25, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to articles of manufacture and to accessories that can be secured in a removable fashion to such articles of manufacture. Such articles of manufacture may include, but are not limited to, clothing and wearing apparel. Such accessories may include, but are not limited to, decorative accessories. The present invention also generally relates to a system that is created by the combined article of manufacture and the accessory as well as to other systems that provide for the interchangeability of such articles of manufacture with other accessories and to the interchangeability of such accessories with other articles of manufacture. The present invention also generally relates to the methodology that is used to affect this interchangeability between multiple articles of manufacture and multiple accessories.

More particularly, however, the present invention relates to an article of manufacture and to a system and method for securing a removable accessory to the article of manufacture which is an article of wearing apparel. It also particularly relates to the removal of such accessory from the article of wearing apparel and reattaching the accessory to other articles of wearing apparel, including specific articles of wearing apparel, such as hooded sweatshirts and fleece garments, and to other non-apparel items. It also more particularly relates to a plurality of such accessories that are interchangeable and to systems and methods whereby the accessories are removable from one article such as a furniture item, a back pack, a youth stroller, a bicycle, and other items. In accordance with the present invention, the accessories may also be multiple-purpose items such as holders and carriers for cell phones, MP3 players, electronic gaming devices, wallets, paper money, coinage, credit cards and other personal user items. Such holders and carriers may be in the form of pockets or other compartmented portions of the respective accessory and may include means for closing or securing the pocket or other enclosure to maintain the safe-keeping of the personal user item.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Articles of manufacture are well known and practically without limit. Articles of wearing apparel are also well known in the art and are universally used throughout the world. The types of wearing apparel available vary widely in both style and functionality. For example, a hooded sweatshirt, which is also known commonly as a “hoodie,” is fabricated to include a head, torso and arm covering, all integrated into a single article of clothing. The article is either pulled over the wearer's head or is outfitted with a fastening means, typically a zipper, which is disposed to the front of the article, which allows the wearer to close the front of the garment when worn. Such a hooded sweatshirt is a convenient replacement for the combination of a conventional sweatshirt and a hat or other separate headgear, for example.

Accessories, decorative or otherwise, for use with such articles of manufacture are also known in the art. This would include stuffed and plush toys. Indeed, decorative accessories and such toys have been fabricated the world over for different purposes ranging from the desire to simply “dress up” an article of wearing apparel to more functional purposes, such as the comforting of infants and the playful enjoyment of older children. Adults are also inclined to adorn wearing apparel and other articles of manufacture with accessories, including sports-themed accessories, organizational membership designations, among other things.

Such accessories and toys can take many different forms and may include cartoon characters, animals and even objects that are normally considered to be inanimate objects such as toy sports balls and other sports equipment. In the case of toys, which can be played with and can be used as room decorations, other accessories can be used for purposes other than play. Regardless of the use, such decorative accessories and toys are widely variable in type, size and theme.

In the view of this inventor, there is a need to provide an article of manufacture, together with a system and a method that would allow for the combination of such articles with accessories, decorative or otherwise, in such a way that the accessories can be easily removed and re-attached to another article of manufacture. This would include, but is not limited to, items of wearing apparel combined with stuffed plush toys or other accessories in such a way that the stuffed plush toys or other accessories can be worn with the apparel item as well as with other non-apparel items. This inventor further believes that there is also a need to specifically provide an article of manufacture in the form of a wearing apparel item with a toy or other accessory combination whereby the toy or the other accessory can be removed from a first item of apparel and securely reattached to a second item of apparel, or to a second non-apparel item, or to any number of other such apparel and non-apparel items. There is also a need to provide such a wearing apparel and toy or accessory combination whereby the toy or the other accessory can be removed from the apparel item and played with or used separately, or can be removed and then attached to another object, such as a back pack, a bed rail or night stand, among other things. In this inventor's view, there is also a need to provide such a wearing apparel and toy combination whereby the wearing apparel items and the stuffed plush toys are each widely variable such that the toys can be interchanged between users and also collected and traded in themed sets. Again, the accessories do not need to be toys, but can be for purposes of discussion here. There is also a need to provide the method that would allow for this type of interchangeability between such apparel items, non-apparel items and accessories, decorative or non-decorative. There is also a need to provide such system and method whereby the interchangeable accessories may also be multi-purpose items such as holders and carriers for cell phones, MP3 players, electronic gaming devices, wallets, paper money, coinage, credit cards and other personal user items, the accessories being provided with means for closing and securing the personal user items within the accessories. Such closing and securing means allows for the user's safe-keeping of the personal user item during his or her use of that accessory.

In the prior art, wearing apparel has been fabricated with some sort of accessory that is integrated into the article of clothing. In the prior art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,669 to Katz discloses and claims a combination toy and garment wherein the toy portion and the garment portion are attached together to form an article of clothing such that, when the garment portion is enfolded by the toy portion, the combination takes the shape of a stuffed animal.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,866 to Fox discloses and claims a novelty garment having a two-dimensional design on an article of clothing, the design being unique to a three-dimensional design portion and, as a practical matter, usable only with another article of clothing having that specific two-dimensional design. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 7,765,618 to Egglesfield discloses and claims an article of clothing with detachable symbols. The symbols are not three-dimensional design elements.

Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,836 to Schmelzer et al. discloses and claims a system and method for securing decorative accessories to shoes. That system requires a very specifically-configured accessory attachment structure that is intended to be inserted into at least one stretchable hole in the upper portion of a highly specialized and well known shoe that is sold under the name Crocs®. The attachment structure comprises a shaft having a first end and a second end, and a plurality of shoulders, one shoulder comprising the decorative accessory. The decorative accessory can comprise a wide variety of decorative elements, including cartoon characters, sports teams and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an article of manufacture that, in one preferred embodiment, comprises an item of wearing apparel having an outer front surface. The outer front surface of the wearing apparel item includes an attachment means. The attachment means is preferably a hook and loop type fastener that is secured to the outer front surface of the wearing apparel item. This article of manufacture further comprises a removably attachable stuffed plush toy accessory. The accessory is three-dimensional in design and comprises a rear surface having an attachment means that is complementary to the attachment means of the wearing apparel item. The article of manufacture may further comprise an alternative wearing apparel item, a non-apparel item and any number of alternative accessories, the accessories being decorative or not. The present invention further comprises the system and method for securing removable attachable such accessories to wearing apparel as well as to non-apparel items. In the system and method of the present invention, the interchangeable accessories may comprise multiple-purpose items such as holders and carriers for cell phones, MP3 players, electronic gaming devices, wallets, paper money, coinage, credit cards and other personal user items, the accessories being provided with means for closing and securing the personal user items within the respective accessory.

The foregoing and other features of the article of manufacture, system and method of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of an article of manufacture, which is an item of wearing apparel, the article being combined with a stuffed plush toy accessory, both of which are fabricated in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective, enlarged and exploded view of a portion of the wearing apparel item and showing the accessory detached from it, both the wearing apparel item and the accessory including complementary attachment means.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the toy element attached to a second item of wearing apparel and, alternatively, attached to a non-apparel item, which is, by way of example only, a back pack.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the accessory illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and showing the three-dimensional construction of the accessory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like-numbered elements refer to like elements throughout, FIG. 1 illustrates the first preferred embodiment of a first article of manufacture, the article being constructed in accordance with the system and method of the present invention and being designated generally by the numeral 10. As shown, the first article 10 comprises a first item of wearing apparel 20 having an outer front surface 22. As alluded to at the outset of this detailed disclosure, it is to be understood that the article of manufacture is not limited to an item of wearing apparel 20 but to any other article of manufacture, including other apparel or non-apparel articles.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the outer front surface 22 of the wearing apparel item 20 includes an attachment means 24. The attachment means 24 is preferably a hook and loop type fastener of conventional manufacture that is secured to the outer front surface 22 of the first wearing apparel item 20. It is to be understood that the attachment means can be other than a hook and loop type fastener and may include, by way of example and without limitation, other mechanical connection means, clasps, hooks, pins, magnets and the like. It is also to be understood that, although the attachment means 24, is shown as a square item, the shape and size of the attachment means 24 is likewise not a limitation of the present invention.

The first article 10 further comprises a removable and attachable accessory 30. The accessory 30 is preferably a stuffed plush toy in the form of an animal head, which is three-dimensional, but the accessory need not conform to this disclosure. That is, the accessory may be decorative or non-decorative and may be configured in many different ways. As shown in FIG. 4, the accessory 30 comprises a rear surface 32, the rear surface 32 also having an attachment means 34 that is complementary to the attachment means 24 of the first wearing apparel item 20. As with the attachment means 24 of the wearing apparel item 20, the shape of the attachment means 34 of the accessory 30 is not limited to the square shape as shown in FIG. 2. Also, it is to be understood that the size of the attachment means 34 in relation to the size of the accessory 30 is not a limitation of the present invention. The size should be adequate for the intended purpose of retaining the accessory 30 to the apparel item 20, but does not need to be in the proportions as illustrated herein. As shown in FIG. 4, the accessory 30 as illustrated includes the rear surface 32 and the attachment means 34, as alluded to above. The accessory 30 also comprises a face portion 36 and ears 38, the accessory 30 being shown for representation purposes only. It is to be understood that any type of head or face, or other, structure could be used with the system and method of the present invention without deviating from the scope of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the accessory 30 that is secured to the first wearing apparel item 20 in the first article 10 can be removed from the first wearing apparel item 20 and then re-attached to create a second article of manufacture, generally identified 40. The second article 40 comprises a non-apparel item. That non-apparel item is a back pack 50 having a rear back pack surface 52 and an attachment means (not shown) may be identical to that used with the first wearing apparel item 20. The attachment means may be one of the alternative means mentioned previously. The accessory 30 and its attachment means 34 can be used to attach the removable accessory 30 to the rear outer surface 52 of the back pack 50, the attachment means of the back pack 50 being complementary to the attachment means 34 of the accessory 30. Again, it is to be understood that the system and method of the present invention is intended to be used with a wide variety of non-apparel items and such is not a limitation of this invention. It is also possible to configure the attachment means 34 of the accessory 30, as shown in the present invention, in a strap-like configuration (not shown) such that the attachment means 34 can be secured in a “wrap around” attachment fashion as opposed to a “face-to-face” attachment fashion as shown. Such is not a limitation of the present invention.

Alternatively, the accessory 30 that is secured in either the first article 10 or to the second article 40 in the preferred embodiment can be removed from the first wearing apparel item 20 or the back pack 50, respectively, and then re-attached to create yet another third combination of an article of manufacture, generally identified 60. As shown, the third article 60 comprises a second item of wearing apparel 70 having an outer front surface 72. It is to be understood that the outer front surface 72 of the second wearing apparel item 70 includes an attachment means (not shown) that is identical to that used with the first wearing apparel item 20. The attachment means used with the second item of wearing apparel 70 is also preferably a hook and loop type fastener of conventional manufacture, but need not be so limited. The accessory 30 and its attachment means 34 can be used to attach or re-attach the removable accessory 30 to the front outer surface 72 of the second item of wearing apparel 70, the attachment means of the second item of wearing apparel 70 being complementary to the attachment means 34 of the accessory 30.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not intended to be limited to only the items of wearing apparel and non-apparel items illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in this detailed description. Indeed, other items of wearing apparel and non-apparel items are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Those would include, among other things, clothing of all types, accessory items of all types, furniture, furnishings and school items, just to identify a few. The present invention is not limited to any one such apparel or non-apparel article and is preferably used with several such articles.

Further, it is to be understood that the present invention is not intended to be limited to only the accessory of a stuffed plush toy as it disclosed in this detailed description. Indeed, other stuffed plush toys are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Those would include, among other things, toy animals, imaginary creatures, cartoon characters, inanimate objects and other decorative elements. Such accessories can also include non-decorative items and may further comprise multiple-purpose items such as pockets and holders and carriers for cell phones, MP3 players, electronic gaming devices, wallets, paper money, coinage, credit cards and other personal user items. Further, the pockets in the accessories can be provided with fastener means for closing and securing the personal user items within the respective accessory such as zippers, snaps, buttons, complimentary hook and loop type closures or elastic closures.

It is also to be understood that the stuffed plush toy that is removable and attachable to such items of wearing apparel and non-apparel articles may be used as a separate play item when it is not attached to the wearing apparel and the non-apparel item alike. The intended functionality, however, is that the stuffed plush toy be re-attached to the wearing apparel or non-apparel item at some point for safe keeping.

The system and method of the present invention further contemplates that the wearing apparel and the non-apparel items to which the accessory 30 may be attached can be used in a “mix-and-match” fashion such that the accessory 30 becomes a “collectible” item that may be used with any number of interchangeable and similarly-configured accessories 30. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A novelty garment system comprising: a plurality of articles, each of the articles comprising an outer surface and an article cooperative fastener being attached to the outer surface of the article; a plurality of accessories, each of the accessories comprising an outer surface and an accessory cooperative fastener being attached to the outer surface of the accessory, the accessory cooperative fastener being removably securable from the article cooperative fastener such that each of the plurality of accessories is removably attachable to each of the plurality of articles.
 2. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 1 wherein the article is an article of clothing.
 3. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 2 wherein the article of clothing is a sweatshirt.
 4. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 1 wherein the accessory is a plush toy.
 5. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 4 wherein the plush toy comprises a pocket having an opening.
 6. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 5 wherein the pocket further comprises a fastener adapted to optionally close the opening in the pocket.
 7. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 1 wherein the accessory comprises a pocket for accommodating articles.
 8. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 7 wherein the pocket further comprises a fastener adapted to optionally close the opening in the pocket.
 9. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 1 wherein the article cooperative fastener and the accessory cooperative fastener are made of complementary hook and loop material.
 10. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 1 wherein the article cooperative fastener and the accessory cooperative fastener are selected from a group of complementary fastening mechanisms consisting of clasps, hooks, pins and magnets.
 11. A system for interchangeable attachment of novelty items to garments comprising: a plurality of articles, each article comprising an outer surface, the outer surface comprising an article cooperative fastener; a plurality of plush toys, each of the plush toys comprising a rear surface, the rear surface further comprising a plush toy cooperative fastener; the plush toy cooperative fastener and the article cooperative fastener being made from complementary hook and loop material such that each of the plurality of plush toys is adapted to be removably attachable to each of the plurality of interchangeable articles.
 12. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 11 wherein the article is an article of clothing.
 13. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 12 wherein the article of clothing is a sweatshirt.
 14. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 11 wherein the plush toy further comprises a pocket.
 15. The interchangeable system of novelty items of claim 14 wherein the pocket further comprises a fastener adapted to optionally close the opening in the pocket. 